Four ideas to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Opinion: Four ideas to resolve Israel-Palestinian conflict

In his Oct. 7 Your View, Gary Olson makes many unfounded accusations against Israel. One of those is a frequently repeated claim that Israeli settlements are a major obstacle to peace in the region. In making this claim, he demonstrates a lack of both imagination and of critical thinking.

Right off the top of my head, I can suggest four ways to resolve the issue of settlements. Keep in mind that "settlements" is simply a loaded buzzword for villages, towns or neighborhoods. Here are my solutions:

•Israel keeps the settlements but redraws the border elsewhere, swapping land for land.

If the land on which the settlement is located becomes part of a future Palestinian state:

•The Jews living there could become citizens of that state. There are plenty of Arab villages in Israel, whose residents are Israeli citizens. Why not the reverse?

•The residents keep their Israeli citizenship, obtain the equivalent of green cards, and remain as resident aliens — subject to local law but eligible to vote in Israel, not "Palestine."